Sole-channeling machine.



F. E. VALOIS.

SOLE CHANNELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man mmz. 1914.

T 1.1.9.... May18,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. E. vmms. SOLE CHANNEUNG MA CH INE.

. I APPLICATION FILED IAN.2,19I4. 1 12,140,086. Patented May18,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

lls 79 sta es at sags" FELIX E. VAL-DIS, 0F HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB T0 HAIMEL SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF LYNN, MAS$ACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- CHTJ'SETTS.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, FELIX E. Wants, a citizen of the United States, residing at Haverhill, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sole- Channeling Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In sole channeling machines heretofore constructed it has been usual to make the channeling knife and the shoulder knife stationary, that is, even if they are adjustable they -.are held stationary during the operation of the machine. When so constructed it is found that if the stock is fed to the channeling and shoulder knives by a feed wheel, Whenever there is an unusually soft place in the leather the feed wheel will dig in too deep and will tear or weaken the between substance as it is called between the two knives, and in order to counteract this the operator has to relieve the pressure. When an unusually hard place in the leather occurs the feed wheel will slip and the channel lips will be of uneven thickness. it is also found that in machines constructed as above described, when the channel is first started the sole has to be fed some distance before the knife reaches the full depth desired, and the result is that on account of the shallowness of the out before it reaches the full depth the sole has to be fed around for a portion of a second turn in order to cut over again in the shallowportion of the channel to make the proper depth.

Another disadvantage of the old method is that in going around the toe, especially in case of pointed toes, the shoulder knife has more to out than the feed wheel can feed to it, and the effect is' to buckle up or -wrinklethe stock, and it makes it hard for the operator.

The object of the present invention is to provide a combination of vibrating knife and feed wheel so that the feeding will be done by the Wheel, and the knife on its back- Specification of Letters Patent.

. Fatented May f8, 1915.

Application filed January 2, 1914. Serial No. 809,811.

ward stroke will draw back from its contact with the stock so that on its forward stroke it moves a short distance before it again engages the leather, thereby having as it were a momentum before it begins to cut the leather, and the result is that less pressure is required and the channel is cut of more uniform depth than by the old methods. It is also found that by'making the shoulder knife vibrate in such manner that its forward stroke alternates with the forward stroke of the channel knife, that is, so that the channel knife and the shoulder knife always move in opposite directions at the same time, greater steadiness and evenness are obtained.

Another feature of the invention relates to a construction of the parts whereby the work may be readily removed after the channel is cut. According to' one of the old style of construction machines it was necessary to pass by the-starting point on the channel and then to move the Workin the reverse direction so as to back the knife out through the diagonal opening of the channel. In some machines the operator first removes the channel knife and then draws out the Work in a lateral direction on the same side as the channel knife.

One object of the present invention is to so construct the machine that the edge guard and shoulder knife may be first withdrawn and then the work can be withdrawn by a lateral movement in the opposite direction from the channel knife, as there is then nothing to interfere with it.

The invention will be understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel. features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of the specification.

. are two lovers 8, 9, the lever shaft being f i of g 1, Figs. 5 and f5 are cross sectional views of soles showing diagrammatically the relative position of the parts when they are in operation, as shown in Fig. 5 and when they have been withdrawn to allow for the removal of the sole as shown in Fig. 6,

lteferring now to the drawings, 1 represents the frame of the machine, A cross head 2 is formed with a vertical stern 3 which passes through tie fr 7111?, of the machine and is vertically movable therein to raise and lower the cross head. The lower end of the stem 3 rests on a yoke lever 4c. Said yoke lever 4: is bifurcated having two branches 5 6 through which the shaft 7 loosely passes. l ulcrurned on said shaft 7 8 being fulcrurned on said shaft between the two branches 5, 6 of the yoke lever l and one end of said lever 8 has a portion 97 which extends beneath the cross part 98 of the yoke vlever l so that when the long arm of the lever 8 is depressed it will lift the yoke lever 4: and thereby lift the stem 3 and the cross head 2. Lever 8 is actuated by a treadle 101 and connection 103. Spring 105 tends to keep the cross head in its downward position.

The cross head 2 is formed with a later ally extending arm to which is bolted a bracket 11 bymeans of the bolts 12, said bracket being bent at its upper end and forming a bearing for a shaft 13 on which are fulcruined the channel knife carrying lever 1s and the shoulder knife carrying lever 15. The channel knife lever 1% has a long downwardly extending arm which is pivotally connected its lower end by a stud 16 with the arm 17 of an eccentric 18 on shaft 19 whereby said channel knife lever lf zjfi given a vibratory movement by the rotation of the shaft 19. Slidably mounted in a grooved channel in the lever 14 is a vertically slidable rod or bar 20 provided at its upper end with a horizontally projecting arm 21, which is formed with a screw threaded aperture into which is screwed the lower end of a shaft 22 which passes loosely up through an opening in the lever 14- said provided with a nut 23 on its upper end which rests upon the upper side of the lever 14 to prevent the shaft 22 from dropping out. rocked on its fulcrum the lever 14-, shaft 22 and bar 20 will all move as one piece. A spring 24: is coiled around the shaft 22, its upper end resting against the under side of the horizontal arm of lever 1 and its lower end restingo-na nut 25 on the shaft 22 so that if different thicknesses of leather pass under the feed Wheel and channel knife the bar 20 may yield upward. I A. cover plate as /Vhen the said lever 14: is-

mao oee is bolted to the face of the lever is to cover the grooved Way in which the slide 20 is held The lower end of the slide 20 is formed with a horizontal arm 27 grooved on its under side to receive the head of a block 28 to which is secured the channel knife holder 29., The said block 28 is secured in the groove in the under side of the arm 27 by means of a bolt 30 which extends down through the arm and into the block 28.

The block 28 is formed with a recess or key way 31 and the holder 29 is formed with a projection or feather 32 which fits into said recess or key way 31. Said holder is secured to the block '28 by a bolt 33 which passes through the block into the holder 29. The channel knife Bl is formed with a shank which engages in a groove 35 in the holder 29 and is clamped in the holder by the screws 36. It will thus be seen that at each revolution of the eccentric 18 the eccentric arm 17 is actuated to rock the lever 1 f on the shaft 13 and thereby give a slightly rocking movement in a vertical plane to the shaft 22 and the slide bar 20 connected therewith, thereby giving a corresponding movement to the block 28 and the channel knife 3%, so that the channel knife will vibrate in an arc in a vertical plane at each rotation of the eccentric 18. It is also obvious that by reason of the shaft 22 passing loosely through the horizontal arm of the lever 1 and by reason of the spring 24:, the channel knife together with its holder and block and slide bar 20 yield slightly, according to the varying thickness of the stock, thereby compressing the spring2 fand pushing the shaft 22 upward independently of the movement of the lever 14. This allows for inequalities in the stock and permits a slight rising and falling of channel knife independently of its vibration.

The shoulder knife lever 15 has a horizontal top portion and a long downwardly extending portion from which there project the ears 3? through which passes the shaft 38 on which is fulcruined the arm 39 of an eccentric ll) on shaft 19, said eccentric actuating the arm 89 and therefore the lever '15, to rock said lever on the shaft or fulcrum 13. A shaft :1 passes loosely down through the horizontal arm of the lever 15, being provided with a nut 42 on its upper end which rests upon the upper side of the said horizontal arm of the lever 15, thus limiting the downward movement of the shaft A1 with relation to thele'ver 15. Said shaft 11 is connected with the shoulder knife bar 44 and is provided with a spring 106; The lower end of the bar is provided with a pin t5 which is stepped into a horizontal arm 46 of a rodgi'l whose lowerend rests upon t e means-e upper side of lever 9, said lever 9 having a link connection 48 with the treadle 49. Said lever 9 is normally in the position shown in Fig. 2 so that by depressing the treadle the-arm of the lever 9 on which said rod 47 rests'will be raised independently of the movement of the shoulder knife lever 15. The said downwardly extendin portion of the shoulder knife lever 15 is ormed with a vertically elongated slot 50 through which a bolt 51 passes and is screwed into the shoulder knife bar 44, thereby helping to secure the said bar 44 against displacement laterally but allowing for vertical movement independent of the shoulder knife lever 15. The lower portion of said bar 44 is formed with a bent portion or foot 52 to which is secured. the shoulder knife 54. The shoulder knife 54 is formed with elongated slots 55 throu h which pass screws 56 which secure it to t e bar 44, the elongated slots allowing ad'ustment of the knife.

it is obvious that by depressing the treadle 49, thus raising the left-hand end of the lever 9, as viewed in Fig. 2 the rod 47 will be raised and thereby the shoulder knife will be raised independently of the movement of the channel knife and of other parts carried by the cross-head. This is necessary especially on spring-heel shoe work where the shoulder knife is used for only a part of the operation on the sole in which case it is necessary to raise it up out of env gagement with the sole. When it is desired to raise the cross head '2 and the parts carried thereby all at once, the treadle 101 is depressed.

The edge guide 57 is formed as a part of the slide 58 having a tongue or key 59 which is slidable in a corresponding groove in the side of the frame of the machine. It is also formed with an elongated guide slot 60 through which ascrew stud 61 passes into the frame of the machine, said stud ahd slot serving as a guide to the horizontal movement of the. edge guide. A bell crank lever 62 fulcrumed at 63 to the frame of the machine has one arm pivotally connected, as by a pin 64, to the edge guide slide 58,

I n .1 1 the utucr arm UL said well c.3111? lever having a pivot connection 65 with an elongated 'slot 66 in the end of the connecting rod 67. The edge guide slide 58 is formed with a flange portion 68 at right angles with the body of the slide projecting from the side thereof opposite to the side which has the connection with the bell crank lever 62, said flange being formed with a hole 69 through which passes loosely a threaded pin 70 which projects rigidly from the frame of the machine. Said pin 70 has a screw threaded portion on which is a nut 71 which forms a stop that is ,en'gag ed icy said flange 68 to limit the movement of the edge guide slide and edge guide to the left viewed in Fig. 1, that is, to limit its movement toward the work so as to. control the width of the feather of the sole. By adjusting this nut the width of the feather may be regulated, and after it is adjusted, when the foot is released from the treadle that controls the edge guide, the edge guide will always be brought back to the predetermined position for which it is adjusted. The lower arm of the bell crank 62 has a lever 102 pivoted thereto having a flexible connection 92 with the treadle 49' so that when the treadle is depressed to raise the shoulder knife it will also rock the bell crank in a direction to Withdraw the edge guide from the work.

This connection 92 should be loose enough make the feather of varying width in different portions of the sole.

The rod 67 is pivotally connected at its lower end with a treadle 72; When the treadle is depressed it draws the edge guide away from the sole and when the treadle is.

released a spring 73 on the lever 102 rocks thebell crank back and carries the edge guide back to its working position. Adjustably mounted on the rod 67 is a nut 74 which when the treadle 72 is depressed strikes against a lug 75 projecting from the frame of the machine, said lug being apertured for the passage of the rod 67, said nut 74 in its engagement withthe lug 75 thus limiting the downward movement of the treadle and therefore limiting the back ward movement of the edge guide. The treadle 72 operates only the edge guide. By adjusting the nut 74 the backward movement of the edge guide may be limited to regulate the width of the feather, as desired, a say, for instance, if a so-called Baltimore style is desired which has a wide feather, the nut 74 willbe so adjusted that by depressing the treadle until the nut 74 strikes on the stop 75 and holding it there the feather will be formed of the required width. If it is then desired to use the machine in connecti n with soles in which a narrower feather is desired the nut 74 willbe adjusted to a lower position so'that the treadle can be depressed a less distance and feather depends upon the elevation of the shoulder knife relative to the table 76 it is important that the downward limit of movement of the rod 17 and of the shoulder knife 54 should be adjustable so that it may be adapted for cutting feathers of difierent thickness. The means which are provided are as follows,pro ecting from the frameof the machine is a lug 93 (see Fig. 1)

downward position of therod 47 engages with the upper end of said sleeve 9%, thereby mounted loose on on said sleeve 90 and in bearings forming a stop which limits the downward movement of the said rod and consequently the downward position of the shoulder knife. By adjusting the said sleeve 94 up or down the limit of the lowermost position of the rod 47 may be varied.

76 represents the usual form of work table and is mounted on a shaft 77 on which is mounted a bevel gear 7 8 which engages with the bevel gear 79 on shaft 80. Mounted fast on-said shaft 80 is a cone clutch member 81 which is adapted to engage with a wheel 82 the sleeve of said clutch has a hub 91 mounted loose is formed with a cam slot 83 which is engaged by a pin 84 projecting from the sleeve 90 so that by turning the crank 85 the pin and cam slot connection will cause the hub 91 of thecrank to press on the hub of the wheel 82 and thereby cause the clutch members to engage with each other, and by continuing to turn the crank with pressure so as to keep the lower end of the slot 83 in engagement with the pin 8d the shaft 80 will be rotated. Mounted on said shaft 80 is a pinion 86 which is adapted to engage with the gear 87 mounted on a shaft 88, said shaft 88 also carrying the feed wheel 89. Said shaft is journaled at one end 99 and at the other end in bearings on each side of the feed wheel in such manner that the end which carries the feed wheel may have a vertical movement by reason of the joint at 10 1.

In the operation of the machine the treadle 49 will be depressed so as to lift the short arm of the lever 9 which will during the first part of its movement raise the rod 47 and thereby raise the shoulder knife 54c 'and then through flexible connection 92 pull down rod 102 and rock lever 62 and withdraw the edge guide and'then as soon as the arm 10 of said lever 9 engages with the under side of-the extension of the yoke 4 it will lift 81. The crank 85 proper position for the niaopae the yoke 4, thereby lifting the sum 3 of the cross head and the cross head itself, thereby raising the channel knife, feed wheel and shoulder knife so that the work may be taken out without any interference with the working parts. The foot will then be released ir'om the trea dle 49, so that the cross head will move down into operative position ready for the next sole. When the sole is put in, the handle 85 will be turned, pressure being applied so that it will carry the lower end of the slot 83 into engagement with the pin 84:, thus bringing the wheel 82 into frictional engagement with the cone clutch 81 and by continuing the turning of the crank the shaft 80 and the parts driven thereby will be operated. The feed wheel 89 and the rotating table 7 6 grip the work between them and cause the feed. The eecentric 18 will give a rapid oscillating vibration to the channel knife lever and channel knife, and the eccentric 10 will give an oscillating vibration to the shoulder knife lever 15 and the shoulder. knife itself. it will thus be seen that as the feed wheel and the table are continually rotating in one direction and therefore giving a constant feed to the work, the backward stroke of the channel knife and of the shoulder knife at each vibration will carry the knives slightl' back of the forward end of the out so that on the forward stroke to meet the work as it is fed toward the knife, the knife will have a slight forward motion before it again engages the leather for a fresh out. It is found in this way that a much more even out is secured than if the knife is constantly pressing forward against the stock or the stock is constantly pressing against the knife. The eccentrics 18 and 10 are preferably so mounted that the forward stroke of the channel knife will occur during the backward stroke of the shoulder knife and vice versa.

The nut 74: on the rod 67 is adjusted so as to normally be a slight distance above the stop 7 5, the edge guide slide 58 being adjusted so that the edge guide will be in the cutting of the proper width of feather at its narrowest portion. If the feather is to have the same width all the way around it would not be necessary to depress the treadle 72 at all. If, however, it is desired to form the feather of a slightly greater width on a portion of the sole, as for instance a sixteenth of an inch wider, the nut 74 will be so adjusted that by depressing the treadleZQ at the proper, time when the greater width is required and bringing the rod 67 down until the nut '24 strikes the lug 5 the edge guide will be moved laterally just enough to give the increased width of the feather. If it is aesired to out the greater width through the greases .z:

entire edge of the sole the treadle 7 2 may be kept depressed during the entire operation upon the sole and when it is desired to make the feather'of the narrower width again the foot is removed from the treadle 72 so that the edge guide will return to its normal po-' sition.

When it is desired to remove the work from the machine after ,the channel has been cut, the treadle 49 will be depressed, thereby first lifting the shoulder knife and then withdrawing the edge guide .away from the sole before the cross head is lifted, and the continued depression of the treadle will raise the cross head so that the feed wheel and channel knife will be raised as shown in Fig. 6. The shoulder knife and edge guide being now out of the way the sole may be pulled laterally, that is, to the right, shown in Figs. 6 and 7, readily disengaging it from the channel knife so that it may be removed in this lateral direction without pulling the sole backward toward the operator, as was done in the old way, when it was necessary to pull it back the full length of the diagonal portion of the out before it could be removed laterally.

What I claim is: e

1. Infa sole channeling machine, a feed wheel, a channeling ,knife, a shoulder knife, an edge guide, a pedal and connections whereby the actuation of the pedal will during a part of its movement raise the shoulder knife vertics" .y and move the edge guide laterally with nation to the channeling knife and the further movement of the pedal will raise the channeling knife and feed wheel and further raise the shoulder knife thereby permitting removal of the shoe sole from engagement with the channeling knife in a lateral direction on the opposite side of the feed wheel from the channeling knife.

der knife and moving laterally the edge guide, a common actuating mechanism therefor and connections therewith so arranged that after the sole has been channeled the operation of said actuating mechanism will raise the shoulder knife and move the edge guide laterally out of engagement with. the sole while the channeling knife is still engaged therewith, and tne continued movement of said actuating mechanism will then. raise the channeling knife and feed 'wheel while the sole is still engaged with the channeling knife and still further raise the shoulder knife sufficient to permit withdrawal of the sole away from the channeling knife in a lateral direction on theopposite mechanism, a channeling knife, means for vibrating said channeling knife in the line of the channel, a shoulder knife and means for vibrating said shoulder knife in a line parallel with the feed, said vibrating mechanisms being so constructed and arranged that the forward cutting stroke of each of said knives will occur-during the backward stroke of the other of said knives.

4. In a sole channeling machine the combination of a rotary feed wheel, a work table, a vibrating channeling knife, means for vibrating said channeling knife in the line of the channel, a shoulder knife and means for vibrating said shoulder knife in the line of the shoulder of the sole, said vibrating mechanisms being so constructed with relation to each other that the said channeling knife and shoulder knife will move in opposite directions to each other.

5. In a sole channeling machine, a work table, feed mechanism, an edge guide, a shoulder knife, a channeling knife, common actuating mechanism and means connected therewith whereby the shoulder knife may be raised and the edge guide may be moved laterally to withdraw them from the work while the channeling knife remains stationary with relation to the work, and whereby the continued movement of the said actuating mechanism on the same stroke raises vertically the feed mechanism and channeling knife without lateral movement of the channeling knife. 7 v

6. In a sole channeling machine, a verticallymovable head, a channel knife lever pivotally connected therewith so as to vibrate in a vertical plane, a channel knife carried thereby, a shoulder knife lever pivotally connected with said head so as to vibrate in a vertical plane, a shoulder knife carried thereby, a feed wheel mounted on-a shaft journaled in said head, a treadle, intermediate connections between said head and said treadle whereby the said treadle may be operated to elevate said head, and independent connections between said treadle and said shoulder knife lever whereby the shoulder knife will be raised by the operation of said treadle beforethe operation of the treadle actuates. the head.

Z. In a sole channeling machine, a vertically movable head, a channel knife lever pivotally connected therewith so as to vibrat'e in a vertical plane, a shoulder knife lever pivotally connected with said head so as to vibrate in a vertical plane, a channel knife carried by said channel knife lover,

a shoulder knife carried by said shoulder knife lever, a feed wheel mounted on a shaft journaled in said head, a treadle, intermediate connections between said head and said treadle whereby the said treadle may be operated to elevate said head, and independ ent connections between said treadle and saidshoulder knife lever whereby the shoulder knife will be raised by the operation of said treadle before the head is raised, an edge guide and connections between said edge guide and said treadle whereby the operation of said treadle also moves the said edge guide in a lateral direction.

8. In a sole channeling machine a vertically movable cross-head, a channel knifemovable cross head, a feed wheel,

lever pivotallyconnected therewith so as to vibrate in a vertical plane, a shoulder knife lever pivotally connected with said head so as to vibrate in a vertical plane, a channel knife carrled by said channel knife lever, a shoulder knife carried by said shoulder knife lever, a feed wheel mounted on a shaft journaled in said head, a treadle, intermediate connections between said head and said treadle whereby the said treadle may be operated to elevate said cross-head, independent connections between said treadle and said shoulder knife lever whereby the shoulder knife will be raised by the opera tion of said treadle independently of the movement of said cross-head and before the operation of the treadle actuates the crosshead, an edge guide, connections between said edge guide and said treadle whereby the operation of said treadle also moves the said edge guide in a lateral direction, a second treadle and means connected with said second treadle and said edge guide whereby said edge guide may be moved independently of the operation of the treadle which operates the crosshead.

9. In a sole channeling machine, the com bination of a rotary work table, a vertically movable head, a channeling knife lever and a shoulder knife lever, a channeling knife and a shoulder knife carried respectively by -said levers, mountings for said levers movable vertically with relation to said head independent of the vertical movement of said head, said levers being pivotally (1on nected with said mountings whereby the said levers and their knives are permitted oscillating movement, and means for actuating said knife levers.

10. In a sole channeling machine, the combination of a rotary work table, a vertically movable cross-head, a feed wheel, a channel knife lever and shoulder knife lever mounted in said head, an edge guide mounted in said head and being laterally movable therein toward and from the work, lever connections with said cross head for raising said cross head, an operating treadle connected with said cross head lever, a lever connection with said shoulder knife for raising the same independently of the movement of the head connections between said treadle and sai shoulder knife raising lever whereby "he operation of said treadle actuates said shoul 'cler knife elevating lever and also actuates said cross head lever, means whereby said shoulder knife elevating lever also actu ates said cross head lever, and means whereby the said shoulder knife elevating lever will be actuated in advance of the acti ".tiou of the cross head elevating lever.

11. In a sole channeling machine, the com bination of a rotary work table, a vertical a channel knife lever and a shoulder knife levermount edin said head, an edge guide mounted in v said head and being laterally movabletherein toward and from the work, lever connectron for raising said cross head, an operat' lg treadle connected with said cross head lever,

a lever connection with said shoulder knife for raising the same "independently of the movement of the cross head, connections tween said treadle and said shoulder knife raising lever whereby the operation of said treadle actuates said shoulder knife elevating lever and also actuates said cross head lever, means whereby the said shoulder knife elevating lever will be actuated in advance of the actuation of the cross head elevating lever, and connectionsbetween said guide and said treadle whereby the operation of said treadle will also withdraw "the edge guide.

12. In a sole channeling machine, the combination of a rotary yyqb'rk table, a vertically 1 c movable head, a feed Wheel channel knife lever and shoulder knife lever mounted in said head, an edge guide mounted in said head and being laterally movable therein toward and from the work, a lever connection for raising said cross head, an operating treadle connected with said cross head. lever, a lever connection with said shoulder knife for raising the same independently of the movement of the head, connections between said treadle and said shoulder knife raising lever whereby the operation of said treadle actuates said shoulder knife elevating lever and also actuates said cross head lever, means whereby the sa1d shoulder knife elevating lever will be'actuated in advance of the actuation of the head elevating lever connections between said edge guide an said treadle whereby the operation of sai dependently of the operation of said first treadle or of the said head or knife levers.

18- in a sole channeling machine, a work table, an edge guide,

g a shoulder knife, a channeling knife, a pedal, and means actuated by the pedal whereby by the movement of the same pedal the shoulder knife may be raised and the edge guide may be moved laterally to Withdraw them from the work While the channeling knife remains stationary With relation to the Work, and the continued movement of said'pedal raises the feed mechanism and the channeling knife,

14. In a sole. channeling machine, a feed wheel, a work table, an edge guide, a shoulder knife, a channeling knife, common actuating mechanism and means connected therewith for actuating the shoulder knifeand edge guide independently of the channeling knife hy 'one stroke of said comm on actuating mechanism whereby the shoulder knife is raised and the edge guide is moved laterally with relation to the work while the channeling knife remains stationary, and whereby additional movement of said actuating mechanism on the same stroke raises the channeling knife and feed Wheel Vertically after the shoulder knife and edge guide have been moved.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FELIX E. VALOIS.

Witnesses:

, WILLIAM A. COPELAND,

'ALIoE H. Momuson. 

